Clinical Research of Postpartum Depression Treated with Xiaoyaosan,Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Objective To observe the efficacy on postpartum depression differentiated as liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency treated with Xiaoyaosan,acupuncture and moxibustion.Methods The randomized,controlled and blind method was adopted.180 cases were divided into a Chinese herbal medicine group(A group),an acupuncture + moxibustion group(B group),a Chinese herbal medicine + acupuncture + moxibustion group(C group) and a placebo group.Assessment Scale Syndrome and Symptom in TCM and EPDS were used for the assessment.The effective rate of TCM treatment was observed.The levels ofestradiol and progesterone in serum before and after treatment were determined.Results The total effective rates in 2,4 and 6 weeks of treatment in Agroup and C group were better than those in the placebo group(P 0.01),and those in 4 and 6 weeks of treatment in B group were better than those in the placebo group(P 0.05).Compared with the placebo group,the differences in estradiol and progesterone levels in serum were significant before and after treatment in A,B and C group(P 0.05).The efficacy was much superior in tendency in C group as compared with A or B group.Conclusion The treatment in C group achieves the significant efficacy on postpartum depression differentiated as liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency and the effect mechanism is potentially related to the regulation of hormone level in the body.